The Collaboratory

Welcome to The Collaboratory!

The Collaboratory is a partnership between Ringling College of Art and Design and The Patterson Foundation. It delivers customer-focused, design-based solutions for businesses and experiential learning opportunities for Ringling College students.

The Collaboratory CommitmentRingling College of Art and Design’s Collaboratory Commitment guarantees that every student enrolling in the College beginning in the fall of 2015 will have the opportunity to participate in a professional work experience with real clients, real deliverables, and deadlines before graduation.

Working in real-world, real-time settings with industry clients, The Collaboratory’s faculty-facilitated student teams solve branding, positioning, user experience, service innovation, and interior and product design challenges that can greatly impact an organization’s future growth and success.

Collaboratory clients gain access to fresh perspectives from some of the nation’s most talented young artists and designers and world-renowned design professionals. Trained in the application of design processes that will enhance product and service value and customer experience, Collaboratory students and faculty have employed their expertise in diverse industries such as hospitality & tourism, law enforcement, healthcare and biomedical, and e-commerce.

How Can We Work Together? The Collaboratory offers businesses, government agencies, and nonprofit organizations three flexible options for engagement:

CharrettesNeed a quick solution to a thorny design problem? Can you spare 72 hours? The Collaboratory’s Charrette program is one of our most popular offerings. In 72 hours or less, our student teams have performed minor miracles for our clients – transforming their brands and businesses over the course of a weekend.

Class ProjectsDuring the course of 16 weeks, we’ll take a deep dive into your organization, working with your leadership and staff on real projects in need of innovative business solutions. Applying theoretical classroom learning and professional design practices, our student teams conduct vigorous research and ideation and develop a variety of methods and design approaches to come up with the most effective solutions for your organization’s specific needs. Typical engagements involve weekly meetings, multiple rounds of prototyping and comps, and comprehensive strategies that range from branding to merchandising to traditional and social media campaigns and customer and community initiatives.

Long Term Projects When you’ve got a good thing going, it’s hard to say good-bye. That’s exactly how the Sarasota Police Department felt after the completion of an initial Class Project with The Collaboratory. What began as a new logo and web site design project has evolved into a multi-year engagement that includes long term community relations and internal design initiatives. Long Term Projects can range from several semesters to several years in length and are customized based on the clients’ needs and priorities.

By partnering with The Collaboratory, you provide Ringling College student with priceless experiential learning opportunities. Working with your organization fosters a greater understanding of your business’ specific challenges, imparts knowledge about and interest in your industry, and can yield new relationships that will last a professional lifetime. We hope you’ll give us a call or come visit us soon.